Sunday, September 27, 2009

A FEW THOUGHTS ON SCREENING

Samford assistant Katherine Katz came by yesterday to spend a day talking basketball. She was specifically interested in screening and scouting. We spend a lot of times talking about screening here are some brief notes:

DOWN SCREEN
Communicate screen with cutter early (both verbally and by pointing)
Set up with a v-cut (make them take away the basket cut first)
Sprint to screen (headhunter mentality)
Proper screening angle (back to the ball)
Proper stance (knees bent, feet shoulder's width, wrists crossed at chest)
Utilize a "1-2 Quickstop" (as opposed to a pure jump stop) *
Hold screen (give cutter time to use it)
Screener must read defenders for slip possibility
Screener must read the cutter (to initiate the proper 2nd cut)

BACK SCREEN
Post up first (be a threat -- be hard to guard)
Communicate screen with cutter early (both verbally and by pointing)
Sprint to screen (headhunter mentality)
Proper screening angle (back to the ball)
Proper stance (knees bent, feed shoulder's width, wrists crossed at chest)
Utilize a "1-2 Quickstop" (as opposed to a pure jump stop) *
Hold screen (give cutter time to use it)
Know your role...some players we want to look to pop, others we want to look to go back and re-screen for the cutter.

RE-SCREEN (FROM BACK SCREEN)
Allow cutter to get the basket (we want cutter to put her "head in the basket")
Communicate screen with cutter (both verbally and by pointing)
Sprint to screen (headhunter mentality)
Proper screening angle (back to the sideline)
Proper stance (knees bent, feet shoulder's width, wrists crossed at chest)
Utilize a "1-2 Quickstop" (as opposed to a pure jump stop) *
Hold screen (give cutter time to use it)
Screener must read defenders to slip possibility
Screener must read cutter (to initiate 2nd cut)

ELBOW SCREEN
Communicate screen with cutter (both verbally and by pointing)
Set up with short v-cut (to help with angle)
Sprint to screen (headhunter mentality)
Screening angle (back to the corner)
Proper stance (knees bent, feet shoulder's width, wrists crossed at chest)
Utilize a "1-2 Quickstop" (as opposed to a pure jump stop) *
Hold screen (give cutter time to use it)
Screener must read defenders (for slip possibility)
Screener must read cutter (to initiate 2nd cut)

* We teach a "1-2 Quickstop" as opposed to a pure jump stop. We started doing this seven years ago while working with our trainer in regard to ACL prevention. We teach our players to land softly, knees bent with 1 foot landing right before the other. We also work with our players in terms of landing with knees bent.